Infant&#39;s feeding kit



June 5, 1951 N. E. DONALDSON INFANTS FEEDING KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '7, l1946 I l1 vc .un /VoRMA/v E. D O/vAzoso/v Maa, Hmm

Patented `une 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INFANTS FEEDING KIT Norman E. Donaldson, Great Falls, Mont. Application September 7, 1946, Serial No. 695,446

(Cl. 20G-4) Claims.

The present invention relates to novel and useful improvements in an infants feeding kit and more particularly has reference to a receptacle having provision for compactly `and accessibly storing the various foods required for an infants feeding and for maintaining them together :with certain feeding utensils in a sanitary manner and at a desired temperature.

The primary purpose of this invention resides in providing an infants feeding kit which is conveniently designed to house a supply of foods and liquids together with feeding implements for use in feeding a child.

Another object of my invention resides in providing an arrangement as set forth above, for neatly and compactly storing the contents of the kit in a sanitary and accessible manner7 with a particular view to the portability of the device for use on trips, and the like.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for satisfactorily maintaining the contents of the kit in a, hot or cold condition for considerable periods of time, as in a bottle or jug which is provided with heat insulation to retard flow of heat to or from its contents and which is commercially known as a thermos jug, lwhere" by the device lwill .be of utility on picnics, cold storage and the like.

Yet another object of the invention is to form an attractive, inexpensive and eflicient device for the purposes set forth above.

Still another purpose of the invention resides in providing a kit wherein the dish of an infant may be especially designed for utility as an insulating closure of the kit and further serves as another compartment in said receptacle.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a device in conformity with the preceding objects wherein novel means are provided for storing a drinking glass in association with a drinking bottle.

These, together with various auxiliary objects oi the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are realized by my device, one embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section being taken substantially upon the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view upon the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the body of the container;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the feeding dish;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a rack employed in the device;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a drinking vglass disposable in the container.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, numeral I@ designates generally the improved kit or container forming the subject oi this invention. As shown, the article consists of a receptacle body l2 of generally square cross section, formed preferably of attractive plastic construction although suitable other materials may be employed, and comprising an outer shell or wall. A plurality of sleeves I4, four being shown in the embodiment chosen for purposes of illustration, are housed within the outer wall l2 and are integrally united thereto and to each other as by vertical reinforcing ribs I6, `which may extend along any desired portion of the length thereof. A top plate I8 is integrally united with the sleeves M. As shown at 22, a suitable insulating medium is disposed within the shell or wall l2 in a manner to completely encompass and surround the sleeves I4 for a purpose to be later set forth. The bottom edge of wall l2 is extended below the sleeves I4 to provide a chamber as at Z4, which chamber is likewise lled with insulating material as at 26 and is covered as by an enclosing lid 28 secured to the side wall portions I 2 in any suitable manner. Slidably disposed in one or more oi the sleeves M, is a rack indicated generally at 3U in Figure 7. As shown, this rack consists of a generally semicylindrical sleeve 32 having integrally attached annular discs 34 which comprise the bottom por tion and partitions or shelves in the rack. An integral cover portion 3b is provided upon. the upper end of the rack Sii said cover portion `36 being adapted when the rack is disposed in one oi the sleeves it, for substantially flush engagement with the upper surface of the receptacle I2. As shown at 38, the cover 36 is provided with a recess having a transverse rib 33 to constitute a ringer grip portion for raising and lowering the rack in one of the sleeves lli. As shown best at 4i] in Figure 3, a series of containers may be stored upon the partitions of the rack for sliding reception in the appropriate sleeve I4, whereby food or alternatively, other equipment such as toys, clothing or the like may be compactly positioned in easy accessible manner and with complete sanitation within the feeding kit.

Preferably one, although if desired more than one of the sleeves M may be provided at its upper portion with an annular recess shoulder 42 adapted to receive and support the rim All of the base of .a plastic drinking glass in a manner shown in Figures 3 and 8, which base when so positioned, serves to seal the upper end of the bore. If desired, the base of the glass may be recessed to provide a finger grip portion as at 4B.

The flaring side portion 48 of the glass, when suspended in its inverted position in the sleeve I4 is adapted to receive the upper end of ia bottle 50 containing milk, water or other suitable liquids for an infant, thus providing a compact storage of these articles.

As shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2, a handle 52 of any suitable construction, which may conveniently take the form of a leather strap, is pivotecl to the side of the receptacleY or body l2.

Attention is now directed to Figures 3 and 6, showing more clearly the arrangement of an infants dish indicated at 54, which is provided upon one surface with a plurality of feeding compartments 55 while its base or undersurface is recessed to provide a chamber 58, suitable insulating material 50 being disposed therein and retained as by a closure plate 02, any desired means and material being provided to eifect this purpose. The insulated base of the dish is adapted to se-at flush upon the upper surface of the container body l2, in a manner to fully insulate and seal the upper end of the sleeves le as shown best in Figure 3. Infants feeding iinplement such as a spoon 6d or the like may be conveniently stored in one of the partitions 56 of the dish and the dish may be retained in the aforementioned position upon the kit by means of the upper cap or closure 55 which may be attached to the body l2 in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the utility andmanner of operation of the device will be now apparent. Each of the compartments or chambers within the kit i is completely surrounded by insulation as at 22, 25 and 60. By this means, the contents of the container may be retained at a desired temperature, and even at different temperatures from each other, for considerable periods of time, thus enhancing the use of the device for transporting infants feeding equipment and supplies for considerable distances and over considerable periods of time as during picnics or the like. I desire to call particular attention to the convenient manner of storing suitable supplies for infant/s foods as at [i0 in slidable racks or trays 3B, in a manner that is compact, accessible for immediate use, and wherein the cover 35 and partitions 34 of the tray or rack assist in sealing the compartment l and retaining their contents in sanitary and separated position. In addition, the novel infants feeding dish, forms a part of the insulating and closure means of the device.

Since obviously various equivalent arrangements may be resorted to within the spirit of my invention, I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but may avail myself of any modification falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An infants feeding kit including a container, a plurality of compartments in said container, heat insulating means surrounding said compartments, a cover for said container and said compartments, and a plate having a heat insulating base receivable in said cover and constituting a closure for said compartments, and a series of racks slidably received in said compartments, said racks being of semi-cylindrical construction and having a plurality of spaced horizontal shelves therein, and a cover forming a handle on each rack, said cover terminating substantially ush with the upper surface of said container and substantially closing the upper end of each compartment.

2. An infants feeding kit including a container, a plurality of parallel compartments in said container, heat insulating means enclosing each of said compartments, a cover for said container, a dish receivable in said cover and constituting a closure and a part of said insulating means for each of said compartments, said dish having an insulation receiving cavity in its lower surface and an insulating closure member detachably seated in said recess.

3. An infants feeding kit comprising a casing having side walls and a peripheral rim on the upper end of said side walls, a `heat insulating plate removably disposed on said rim, a dish member having a recess in the bottom thereof, said insulating plate being detachably received in said recess, said dish member being adapted to receive an eating utensil, and a cover plate overlying said dish memberand having a downw-ardly extending fiange detachably secured to said casing.

4. An infants feeding kit comprising a casing having side walls and a' peripheral rim on the upper end of said side walls, a heat insulating plate removably disposed on said rim, ya dish member having a peripheral downwardly extending nange thereon, the lower edge of said nange resting upon said rim, said insulating plate being removably received in the recess dei-inedV by said flange on the dish and the bottom wall'of said dish, a cover plate overlying said dish member, said cover plate having a downwardly extending flange embracing said dish member and detachably secured to said casing,

5. An infants feeding kit comprising a casing having side walls and a peripheral rim on the upper end or"V said side walls, a heat insulating plate-removably disposed on said rim, a dish member having a recess in the bottom thereof, said insulating plate being detachably received in said recess, said dish member being adapted to receive an eating utensil, a cover plate overlying said dish member and having a downwardly eX- tending flange detachably secured to said casing,

an article supporting rack removably disposed in said casi-ng, a cover member on said rack terminating substantially flush with said rim on said casing, said insulating plate engaging said rack cover to firmly retain said rack between said insulating plate and the bottom of said casing.

NORMAN E. DONALDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 692,109 Eoniface Jan. 28, 1902 1,665,681 Telling Apr. 10, 1928 1,831,663 Hill Nov. 10, 1931 2,023,154 Trotter Dec. 3, 1935 2,058,336 McCarty Oct. 20, 1936 2,313,557 Miller May 4, 1943 2,405,764 Smith Aug. 13, 1946 

